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"too many enemies to count"
ANNABETH LITERALLY STUMBLED OVER THE SECOND TITAN.
After entering the storm front, they plodded on for what seemed like hours, relying on the light of Ariadne's mixed-metal blade, and on Bob, who glowed faintly in the dark like some sort of cray janitor angel.
Ariadne could only see about five feet in front of her. In a strange way, the Dark Lands gave her the nostalgia and longing for what once was the labyrinth her namesake had wandered through, and one she hadn't seen in two years.
Rocks loomed out of nowhere. Ours appeared at their feet, and they barely avoided falling in. Monstrous roars echoed in the gloom, but Ariadne couldn't tell where they came from. All she could be certain of was that the terrain was still sloping down.
Down seemed to be the only direction allowed in Tartarus. If she backtracked even a step, she felt tired and heavy, as if gravity were increasing to discourage her. Assuming that the entire pit was the body of Tartarus, Ariadne had a nasty feeling they were marching straight down his throat.
Annabeth looked so preoccupied with her thoughts she didn't notice the ledge until it was too late.
Ariadne yelled, "Whoa!" She grabbed her arm, but she was already falling.
Fortunately, it was only a shallow depression. Most of it was filled with a monster blister. She had landed on a warm bouncy surface and was feeling lucky—until she opened her eyes and found herself staring through a glowing gold membrane at another, much larger face.
The blonde screamed and flailed, toppling sideways off the mound.
Ariadne helped her to her feet. "You okay?"
But gods of Olympus...curled in the membrane bubble in front of them was a fully formed Titan in golden armor, his skin the color of polished pennies. His eyes were closed, but he scowled so deeply he appeared to be on the very of a bloodcurdling war cry. Even through the blister, Ariadne could feel the heat radiating from his body.
"Hyperion," Ariadne said. "I hate that guy."
Her shoulder suddenly ached from an old wound. During the Battle of Manhattan, Percy had fought this Titan at the Reservoir—water against fire. It had been the first time Percy had summoned a hurricane—which wasn't something she could ever forget. "I thought Grover turned this guy into a maple tree."
